The future of VR and 3D CAD in the Asia-Pacific region

Once regarded as a dream of science fiction, cinema and fantasy, virtual reality is becoming an increasingly common part of our lives. The general public is slowly adopting the technology in their homes, using VR for interactive entertainment and design applications.

In the larger world of design, however, VR is poised to accelerate the market for CAD beyond 2020 – with the military and defence sectors set for extraordinary development.

Virtual design takes to the sky

A study by MarketsandMarkets estimates the 3D- and 4D-technology market to reach over $300 billion by 2022, with the Asia-Pacific region seeing the highest growth rate globally.

While a growing demand from the entertainment industry will be a factor in this progression, the defense industry is projected to increasingly use VR and CAD for almost everything both on ground and in the air.

Incorporating augmented and virtual reality into the display of a headset provides an individual with identification and analysis abilities beyond what is currently possible. These near-future prototypes could include land mine detection, explosives and weapons identification and radar on a head-up display (HUD).

Coupled with the advancement in VR will be a greater use of CAD; design software will create and evaluate prototypes for drones, vehicle modifications and custom weapon attachments.

SOLIDWORKS is already seeing powerful use in the Asia-Pacific region to model armoured vehicles, scope casings and hydrojets – but CAD software simplifies much more than just the design of prototypes.

A 30,000 page manual in your palm

Maintaining a tank requires an understandably extensive level of documentation. Thanks to software like SOLIDWORKS, a once-tedious process has been greatly simplified – now engineers can hold a tablet with an electronic manual, containing a 3D model rendered from CAD data that they can rotate, dismantle, assemble and verify.

Imagine a team going out to the field holding a 10,000 page manual. One person is doing the steps, another person doing the work and a third person is there to check everything and sign off that it’s being performed.- making sure it’s being performed.

Traditionally, this would involve photographs and line drawings on a staggering level of physical paper. Now, it can simplified to one person holding a tablet with an electronic manual, which is created from the CAD data.

This is what makes SOLIDWORKS such a powerful design product – simplifying a complicated process while adding value to the final product – one the Asia-Pacific region will take maximum advantage of.

To learn more about what SOLIDWORKS brings, contact Dassault Systemes today to a speak to Sales or request a demo.